Tyson



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

W. D. O. PATTYSON.

RAILWAY TELEGRAPH.

Patented Dem 18,1883.

Rye.

(No Model.) D. PATTYSON. 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

RAILWAY TELEGRAPH. No. 290,602." Patented Dec. 18,1883.

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WILLIAM D. C. PATTYSON, OF MARLBOROUGH, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR OFTVVO-THIRDS TO HORACE S. CROWVELL AND EDMUND E. BOND, BOTH.

OF SAME PLACE.

RAILWAY-TELEGRAPH.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 290,602, dated December18, 1883,

Application filed January 22, 1883. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern Be it known that I, WILLIAM D. (3. Par-TYSON, of Marlborough, county of Middlesex, State of Massachusetts, haveinvented an Improvement in Railway-Telegraphs, of which the followingdescription, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is aspecification, like letters on the drawings representing like parts.

My invention has for its object to establish electrical connectionbetween a moving train and a stationary electrical conductor, it beingshown in connection with a telegraphic instrument for communicatingbetween the train and stations, or between different trains.

The invention is intended as an improvement in the class of apparatus inwhich a single line-wire is employed, and means are provided forbreaking the said line and interposing the train with the apparatuscarried by it within the said line.

In carrying out this invention the train is provided with longcontact-plates or electrodes, preferably carried by the locomotive andtend er, cooperating with the electric conductor or line mounted onposts at the side of thetrack, like an ordinary telegraph-wire. The saidwire is provided with circuit-breakers at a distance apart not greaterthan the length of the contact-plates carried by the train, the saidcircuit-breakers co-operating with the contact-plates as the trainpasses in such a manner as to open the main line and connect the portion011 each side of the break with one of thecontact-plates, so that aninstrument placed in the circuit between the contactplates will beinterposed in the main-line circuit as the trains travel along from onecircuit breaker to another, and continuous electrical connection is thusestablished be tween the moving train and stations along the main line,or between two moving trains.

The invention consists,partly, in the arrangement of the circuits andconstruction of the receiving-instrument employed for telegraphiccommunication, the said instrument being adapted to operate when themoving strips are connected with the main line at one or two of thecircuit-breakers The line is preferably provided with resistance-coils,connected with ,it at either side of the circuit-breakers, so that incase one of the circuit-breakers should not close properly after thetrain has passed the line would not be left open. The said resistance issufficient to cause the portion of the current traversing the instrumentin the train to operate it. The train is preferably provided with twosets of contactstrips, one on each side, and the set that is not in usein connection with the main line is utilized for especial signals orinstruments controlled by local circuits at various points, as desired.V

The invention also consists in the novel construction of the differentdevices, by which greater certainty of action is insured and the cost ofthe apparatus reduced.

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a locomotive provided with contactstrips00 operating with a main-line wire in accordance with this invention;Fig. 2, a front elevation thereof; Figs. 3 and 4, a plan view and rearelevation, respectively, of one of the circuit-breakers by which thesaid strips are interposed in the mainline circuit; Fig. 5, a frontelevation of a telegraphic receiving-instrument adapted to be used onthe train; Fig. 6, a detail showing a connection between the differentportions 01' the moving strip that are carried by different vehicles,and Fig. 7 a diagram of the electric circuits and instruments therein.

The train is provided with contact-strips a b a 1), (shown as mounted onthe locomotive and tender,) the said strips being made continuous, asshown in Fig. 6, by a spring, a, "connected with the portion of thestrip that is carried by one member of the train, and hav' ing its endbear on the portion of the strip carried by another member of the train,the said strips being herein shown as extending only the length of thelocomotive and tender. A steam-pipe, a, may be run along adjacent to thestrips, to prevent the formation of ice thereon.

The main electric circuit or line consists of an ordinary telegraph-wiremounted on posts ing at a distance apart somewhat less than the lengthof the strips to b, so that one of the posts will always be oppositesome portion of the said strips. The main line is provided at each postwitha circuit-breaker, shown in Figs. 3

c at the side of the track, the said posts beand 4 as consisting of ametallic arm or plate, (2, fixed 011 the post, and contact-springs c 0,connected with the 1ine-wire at each side of the post, and normallypressed against the plate (I by spring-fingers f f, carried by an arm,1, pivoted upon the said post, and provided at its end with metalcontact-pieces h '17, arranged to rub against the strips to I),respectively, as the train passes by, the said train at the same timeturning the arm f on its pivot, as shown in dotted lines, Fig. 3. Theline coming to the post 0 011 one side and connected with the spring 6is also connected with one of the contact points, as t, at the end ofthe arm f", while the line'leaving the post on the other side andconnected with the spring 0 is also connected with the contact-point hat the end of the arm, and the arm f is provided with P j f, which, whenthe arm f is swung on its pivot by the passing train,engage one of thespring-fingersfor f, and remove it from the corresponding spring, 0 ore, which is then disconnected by its elasticity from the plate (1,breaking the direct connection between the portions of theline at eitherside of the post. Vhen the train is not passing, the arm f stands in itsnormal position at right angles to the track, as shown in fulllines,Fig. 3, it being held in thisposition by the springfingers ff,which are connected with its pivot or shaft. (See Fig. 3.) The saidsprings e e are in electric contact with the plate (1, and the circuitis continued directly from the line on one side of the post to the lineon the other side. The line coming toward and leaving the post 0 ispreferably also connected with resistancecoils at, so that when a propercontact is not afforded between the parts cl 0 e a circuit will still bemaintained through the said resistance-coils m, which will be ofconsiderable amount relative to the resistance of the instruments thatare to be connected in circuit between the plates 0 7). The fingers f fare shown as insulated where they engage the springs c e. V

The contact-piece h may be provided with a roller to reduce its frictionon the strip a, and the contact-pieced is made somewhatflexible, itbeing shown as a metallic brush,which may be adjustable on the arm f-lIf it were possible to space the circuit-breakers with such accuracythat the plates a I) would always make contact with one at the precisemoment that they left the preceding one, it will be seen that anordinary relay or sounder could be placed in circuit between the platesa and I), and operated by opening and closing the line, or in any usualmanner. In order, however, to insure the continuity of the circuitthrough the train,the circuit-breakers are so arranged that the stripswill come in contact with each one just before they have left thepreceding one, and the stripswill, consequently, for short spaces oftime, be in contact with two circuitclosers. In order to insure theproper operation, whether the strips are in contact with one or twocircuitclosers,

one of the said strips is divided transversely, as shown at 2, and theinstrument has two separate portions, one in circuit between one portionof the divided strip and the other strip, and the other portionof theinstrument in circuit between the other portion of the divided strip andthe undivided strip. The two portions of the instrument are shown in Fi5 as electro-magnets n 0, having their cores mounted in line with oneanother on a single backstrap, and acting on a single armature, so thatif either of the said magnets is charged the armature will be attracted.One of said magnets, as n, is connected in circuit between one portionof the said strip a and the strip 1), as shown, by the wires 3 4t 5, andthe other magnet, 0, is connected in circuit between the other portionof the strip a and the strip I) by wires 7, 8, and 5.

In the diagram Fig. 7 the strips are shown as connected with two of thecircuit-breakers, so that the direct main line is broken between 20 and23, as well as between 23 and 26. The main line20 is connected by wire21 with the contact-piece h, and the contact-brush q; is

connected by wire 22 with the piece 0 and' line 23, which is connectedwith the spring 0, and by wire 24c with the contact-piece h of the nextcircuit-breaker, the contact-piece t of which is connected by wire 25with the spring 6, which is also connected with the main line 26, beyondthe circuit-breakers acted upon by the strips a b.

As shown, the main line is provided with opposing batteries 13 B at itsends, so that by grounding it at any point the currents of bothbatteries will pass through the stations be tween them and the saidgrounded point; or, by removing one battery, signals may be trans mittedin the usual way by opening and 010s ing the line.

The circuit through the magnets a 0 of the receiving-instrument may betraced as follows: From the battery B it passes by wires 20 21 to thecontaet-piece h and strip a, from which the circuit is continued by wire3to the magnet 02, and thence by wire 5 to the strip 1), contactpiece i,and wires 22 and 23 to the other end of the line, except at the momentwhen, as shown in the drawings, the next circuit-breaker, (1 e, is alsoopen. In such case thecircuit is continued from the strip 1) to thewires 25 and 26, the wires 22 23 being then cut out. \Vhen in themovement of the train in the direction of the arrow the strips ab passoff from the contact-points h i, connected with wires 21 23, the circuitwill be closed at d 0, connecting the wire 20 directly with the wire 23,and the circuit will then be from wire 23 through wire 24, strip a, wire7, magnet 0, wires 8 and 5, strip 1), contact-piece i, and wires 25 and26, the circuit then including only the magnet 0, until after thesevered point 2 of the strip passes the contact-points h '17, when thecircuit will be only through the magnet 12, as follows: 2i a 3 a 4 a 5 bt 25 26. The instrument a 0 will thus be kept interposed in themain-line IIO circuit, and will receive signals transmitted over theline in any usual manner.

In order to transmit signals from the train the main line 20 26 may beconnected with the wheels and axles, and thus with the rails which formthe ground or return circuit of the main line. The wire 5 is shown asconnected by wire 12 with the usual key, K, and switch S, theanvil-piece of which is connected by wire 13 with the wheels and rails.The main line 26 may thus be grounded by the key and switch in the usualmanner, forming independent circuits for the batteries 13 B, sothatsignals will be transmitted through any other train that may beinterposed in the circuit, as well as through the fixed stations.

It will be seen that if the resistance-coils m are not used there wouldbe an undivided circuit through the instrument, and the signals might betransmitted by opening and closing the circuit in the usual manner.

It is obvious that the magnets n 0 and their armature might constituteany usual kind of receiving-instrument, either a relay to open and closea local circuit or a sounder; or, if desired, the armature mightconstitute the diaphragm of a telephonic instrument; or any other formof electric apparatus might be included in the circuit between thestrips a b.

In order to operate especial signals on the approach of a train, as atstations or hi ghwaycrossings, the posts 0 and arms f may be providedwith an additional circuit closer, 1), shown in Fig. 3 as consisting ofa spring connected with the post and a stud connected with the arm, andbrought in contact with the said spring when the arm is swung on itspivot by the train. One portion of the said circuitcloscr may beconnected directly with the rail or ground, while the other is connectedwith a wire passing through the battery and signaling-instrument at anydesired point. It will be seen that the said circuit-closers 19 will beclosed only when the arms f are turned in one direction, so that forsingle-track roads they may be arranged to operate a signal when thetrain is approaching a given point, but not after it has reached and isreceding from the said point, the said arm f however, being arranged tobreak the main circuit at d e or e and connect its ends with the stripsa b by the movements of the said arms on their pivots in eitherdirection.

For convenience in operation, the trains will be provided withcontact-strips on each side, as best shown in Fig. 2, and while thestrips on the one side will be interposed in the mainline circuit, aspreviously described, those on the other side may be employed foroperating special signals in the train. For instance, as shown in Fig.7, one portion of the strip a is connected by wire 30 with a signal ofany usual character-such, for example, as an automatic vibrating bell,1-, on the locomotivethe other terminal of which is connected by wire 31with the wheels and axles or ground.

The contact-piece i, co-operating with strip a, may be connected by wire32 with a circuitcloser, t, which may, for instance, be operated by themovable rails of a railway-switch, or 111 any other way, when it isdesired to signal a train to stop, the said circuit-closer bemg shown asconnected through the battery 13 with the ground, so that in case thecircuitcloser t is closed a current will be transmitted through thesignal 1' as soon as the train arrives at the contact-piece t, which maybe mounted on an arm pivoted on a post precisely like those previouslydescribed.

The strip 1/ is shown as connected by wire with a series of magnets, a,controlling the detents of station-indicators of suitable construction,from which the circuit is continued by the wire 41 to the ground. Thecontactpiece h, co-operating with the said strip 1), may be connected bywire 42 with a local battery,

as B, at each station, so that when the train appreaching or leaving thestation arrives at the contact-piece h, an impulse will be transmittedthrough the said magnets u, operating the station-indicator.

The invention is not limited to the specific form of circuit-breakersemployed in the main line for interposing the train and the connectedinstruments in the circuit.

It will be seen that by separating a line from point to point as a traintravels by it, as herein described, and interposing the train orapparatus carrier thereby in the opening thus produced, a train may bemaintained continuously in circuit with the employment of but a singlestationary conductor.

When the apparatus is to be employed in connection with a road havingseveral parallel tracks, the arms f maybe pivoted to swing in a verticalplane upon beams extending across the entire series of tracks.

The arms of the circuit-breakers maybe adjusted to the proper positionrelative to the track by gaging-strips carried by a hand-car or otherconstruction-car, and the strips a b a b may be adjustably connectedwith the locomotive or train. Any suitable form of elec tric connectionscan be used between the different rails of the track, which will form asuflieiently perfect conductor of electricity.

The magnets-such as umight be employed to operate an alarm uponfreight-trains, for warning a brakeman, as they approach a bridge. I

Posts carrying wipers may be employed from point to point to clear thecontact-strips of snow or other matter which may be deposited upon them,such wipers preferably being placed at each side of a railway-station.The mechanism at the tops of the posts will be protected by any suitablecap or cover.

The receiving-instrument will usually be placed in a special operatorsroom,which may be padded or provided with means for deadenening sound asmuch as possible.

I have herein shown and described, in addition to the apparatus employedfor communication between the different trains or between 4 t teasestrains and stations, additional devices for utilizing a portion of thesaid apparatus for other special purposes when it is not employed forsuch communication; but I do not herein claim these devices, as theywill form the subjeet of other applications for Letters Patent.

I claim 1. The combination of the contact strips carried by a train withthe main line and series of pivoted circuitbreaking arms, havingcontact-points co-o1 )erating with the said strips and connected withthe portions of the main line at either side of the said arm, and acircuit-breaking device between the said portions of the main lineoperated by the movement of the said arm on its pivot, substantially asand for the purpose set forth.

2. The main line and circuit-breakers therein and contact-piecesconnected with the said line at either side of the saidcircuit-breakers, combined with the contact-strips co-operating with thecontactpicces, and the receiving-instruments having two portions, one ofthe said strips being separated into two parts and the portions of thereceiving-instrument being in circuit between the said parts of thedivided strip. respectively, and the other strip, substantially asdescribed.

3. The pivoted arm adapted to be engaged and turned on its pivot by apassing train, combined with contact pieces or springs con nected withthe portions of the main line at each side of the said arm, andspring-fingers mounted on'the said arm, co-operating with the saidcontact-pieces,.as described, whereby the said arm is normally retainedsubstantially at right angles to the track, and the said contact-piecesin electrical connection, but the latter are electrically separated whenthe said arm is turned on its pivot in either direction, substantiallyas described.

at. The main line and circuit-breakers therein, operated by the passingtrains to interpose apparatus carried by the train in the said line,combined with resistance-coils connected with the said line on eitherside of the circuitbreakers, substantially as and for the purposedescribed.

5. The main line and circuit-breakers therein, operated by the passingtrains to interpose apparatus carried by the train in the said line,combined with means for grounding the said circuit upon the movingtrain, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

XVM. D. C. PATTYSON.

Vitnesses:

Jos. P. Livnnironn, BERNICE J. NoYEs.

